Container convertible to a powered toy



1967 l. c. DOUGLAS CONTAINER CONVERTIBLE TO A POWERED TOY Filed Dec. 9, 1964 IN VENTOR Liz) mx M23 lbs kbb United States Patent Ofitice 3,349,515 CONTAINER CONVERTIBLE TO A POWERED TOY Livingston C. Douglas, Leonia, N..I., assignor to Colgate- Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 417,179 3 Claims. (CI. 46-11) The present invention relates to a novel container for household commodities. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel container which may be readily converted to a childs toy.

The containers of the present invention are preferably shaped to simulate boats, airplanes or the like. Propulsion means are provided for insertion through the neck portion of the container to thereby further simulate a boat or other craft when the container is employed as a toy.

It is well recognized that sales of household commodities enjoy greater sales volume when some inducement for consumer acceptance in addition to the packaged commodity is provided. Since the retailing of such commodities is highly competitive, sales stimulants that will result in the preferential selection of one brand instead of another of similar quality are highly prized in industry. Containers produced in accordance with the present invention which may be readily converted into toys are also useful as such sales stimulants.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a container which, after removal of at least a portion of its contents, may be readily converted into a toy even by a small child.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel container for household commodities which is useful as a sales stimulant for such commodities.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means which may be removably secured to a container so that the container is utilizable as a toy.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel, inexpensive toy having elastic band propulsion means.

A still further object of the present invention is to adapt the bottle cap of the container for use in supporting propulsion means for the toy.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is essentially a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view through the cap used with the container of FIGURE 1 prior to modifying the container for use as a toy; v

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but taken after assembly of the toy;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 showing details of a securing member for the propulsion means; .and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 of a modified securing member in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown a molded plastic container having the general configuration of the hull of a boat which tapers at one end into a prow 12. At the other end, container 10 is provided with an integral threaded neck portion 14 upon which there is secured a cap generally designated by reference numeral 16. As will be discussed more fully hereinafter, a substantially tubular frame member 18 is positioned within the container and houses a rubber band 20 or similar elastic band propulsion means for rotating a propeller 22.

3,349,515 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 Referring to FIGURE 2, cap 16 has internal threads 21 which engage the corresponding threads of neck portion 14 when the cap is placed upon the container. The cap has a substantially annular projecting rim having inner and outer annular surfaces 24 and 26 respectively. Outer surface 26 preferably is in tight, supported engagement with the inner surface of neck portion 14 when the cap is in place. Disposed substantially in the center of end portion 28 of the cap, there is a substantially conical protrusion 30 having at the apex thereof a snip-off tip 3-2.

After the contents of the container have been consumed, and it is desired to convert the container to a toy, the tip 32 is removed by cutting along the cut-off line shown in FIGURE 2 with a scissors or like instrument so that an aperture is provided at the end of the conical protrusion 30. As shown in FIGURE 3, one end of the tubular frame member 18 is inserted into force-fit engagement with the inner surface 24 of the rim on cap 16. The rubber band 20 is connected to propeller 22 by means of a drive shaft having a hooked inner end 33, a truncated intermediate portion 34, and a tapered outer end 36. The tapered end 36 of the drive shaft is passed through the aperture in protrusion 30 and into force-fit engagement within a bore provided in hub 38 of propeller 22. A pair of rounded projections 40 on the outer end 36 are effective to maintain the drive shaft and the propeller in operative engagement. In this assembled position, the inner surface of conical protrusion 30 functions as a bearing surface for the truncated intermediate portion 3 4 of the drive shaft. It is preferred that the cap be constructed of a plastic material which has a low coeflicient of friction and will not inhibit free rotation of the drive shaft.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the other end of rubber band 20 is secured around a dowel 42 which has at its opposite ends enlarged heads 44 and intermediate portions 46 of reduced diameter. The dowel is pressed into a pair of cut-out recesses 48 in frame 18 until the reduced diameter portions 46 are forced into snap-fit engagement within recesses 48 which are suitably shaped to receive and retain the dowel.

In FIGURE 5 there is shown a modified fastener for securing the inner end of rubber band 20. In this embodiment, the fastener consists of a hook 50 about which the end of rubber band 20 is secured, an intermediate portion 52 which is wedged into the end of a substantially tubular frame member 54, and a head portion 56 which abuts the end of frame member 54 and limits the depth of insertion of the fastener.

The manner of assembling the toy is believed obvious from the preceding description. For example, one end of rubber band 20 may be passed around dowel 42, and the dowel then pressed into position within recesses 48. The free end of rubber band 20 may be drawn through frame member 18 and passed around hook 33. After cutting off tip 32 of the bottle cap, tapered end 36 of the drive shaft may be passed through the aperture in the cap and into the bore within propeller hub 38. At this point, the sub-assembly may now be mounted within the container by threading cap 16 onto neck portion 14. Propeller 22 is turned by hand to wind rubber band 20 and thereby ready the toy for use.

The containers of the invention may be made of a suitable plastic material such as rubber, polyethylene, polybutadiene and the like. The container may be manufactured by blow molding, rotational molding and the like. If the container is made of rubber, it may be slush molded.

The container is not necessarily completely emptied before being used as a toy. Of course, it is preferred that there be sufficient head space within the partially emptied container to prevent overflow of its contents upon insertion of the tubular frame member. In this case, both the cap and the tubular frame member will be removed prior to any subsequent use of the contents of the container.

It will be understood that the illustration of the container as having the general configuration of a boat is but one embodiment of the present invention. The principles of the present invention are also applicable to conventionally shaped containers having flat bottoms and to containers having other shapes, for example, that of an airplane. In the latter case, the propeller employed would have the configuration generally associated with airplane propellers.

In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that the present invention is susceptible of many changes and modifications. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container adaptable for use as a toy, comprising a container shaped to simulate a toy and having an externally threaded neck portion, a cap having a cylindrical wall, an end portion connected to said cylindrical wall and internal threads in said cylindrical wall operatively engaging the external threads on the container neck, said end portion having an outwardly extending essentially conical protrusion, said protrusion being provided with an aperture therein, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said conical protrusion with a part thereof extending through said aperture, a propeller mounted on the extended part of said drive shaft, said end portion having an annular rim depending therefrom, a substantially tubular member having the outer surface of one end frictionall supported by the inner surface of said annular rim, said tubular member extending beyond the cylindrical wall of said cap and the neck portion of said container whereby it is positioned within the container, a fastener means secured to the other end of said tubular member and an elastic band propulsion means connected between the inner end of said drive shaft and the fastener means of said tubular member.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the fastener means includes a hook member, and means in engagement with the other end of said tubular member.

3. A container according to claim 1 wherein the tubular member is provided with recess means adjacent the other end thereof, and wherein said fastener means includes a rod-like member positioned in said aperture means adjacent the inner end of said tubular member.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER ADAPTABLE FOR USE AS A TOY, COMPRISING A CONTAINER SHAPED TO SIMULATE A TOY AND HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED NECK PORTION, A CAP HAVING A CYLINDRICAL WALL, AN END PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL AND INTERNAL THREADS IN SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL OPERATIVELY ENGAGING THE EXTERNAL THREADS ON THE CONTAINER NECK, SAID END PORTION HAVING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ESSENTIALLY CONICAL PROTRUSION, SAID PROTRUSION BEING PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE THEREIN, A DRIVE SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CONICAL PROTRUSION WITH A PART THEREOF EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, A PROPELLER MOUNTED ON THE EXTENDED PART OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT, SAID END PORTION HAVING AN ANNULAR RIM DEPENDING THEREFROM, A SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING THE OUTER SURFACE OF ONE END FRICTIONALLY SUPPORTED BY THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID ANNULAR RIM, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER EXTENDING BEYOND THE CYLINDRICAL WALL OF SAID CAP AND THE NECK PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER WHEREBY IT IS POSITIONED WITHIN THE CONTAINER, A FASTENER MEANS SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND AN ELASTIC BAND PROPULSION MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE INNER END OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND THE FASTENER MEANS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER. 